Phew - I finally made it to the end. I've been behind on most of the things but I've finally caught up!
I have enjoyed taking part in 23 things and feel I've been introduced to a lot of technologies that I hadn't even heard of. Some are useful and some I can't use due to workplace restrictions but each has been interesting.
The main thing I will take from this is reflection and looking at how I got to this point and the opportunities available to me. I have not been able to network as much as I'd like due to time restrictions but I feel if I had more time I could have made more of this course.
I am already taking my development forward with the PGDiploma in Library and Information Management. Other areas I would like to improve on are teaching as we are now teaching Library research skills and I feel a basic teaching qualification would help with my confidence and skills in this. Other members of my team have done or are doing the PTLLs course which is something I would be interested to do next. A basic teaching qualification seems to be desirable in a lot of academic library posts as research skills and teaching classes is taking on more emphasis.
At the College I work in, CPD is very important and we have ongoing CPD plans in place that are working documents. We have individual requirements, team requirements and college wide requirements. So for example an individual requirement could be my PGDip course, a team requirement could be training on a new piece of software we have had and a college requirement would be a college wide issue such as equality and diversity or child protection. I have also done a PDP when I completed my ACLIP but this is essentially my CPD plan for College in a different format.
CPD development plans are important so that you can identify areas you need more experience or training. In the Library and Information world I find these vitally important as Libraries are constantly evolving. With new resources and technologies it is important that Library staff are up to date and knowledgeable in order to be able to confidently help library users.
Wednesday 9 November 2011
Thing 22 - Voluntary work
I have never undertaken any type of voluntary work in the Library sector but I can see how it could be beneficial. I was lucky in that I did get a full time Library post without really trying. I also get a lot of support in the area of CPD and I am encouraged to go on visits to other Libraries to share best practice and experience.
I would find it extremely difficult to take part in voluntary work at this point in my life as I have a young daughter (18 months) so in order for me to work I have to pay for child care. If I wasn't getting any money in but having to pay out for this I would really struggle and it wouldn't work well! Before I had my family though and less responsibilities such as mortgage etc I would have considered voluntary work to get experience of a role before I decided that is what I wanted to do.
I was talking to a colleague today who was telling me that when her children were at primary school she helped out with the school Library as a voluntary post. I think that would be something really nice to do to help out in a school and you never know I might see if something like this is available when my little one is at school as I have no experience of a school Library.
On the negative side though I can see that people undertaking voluntary work might lead to unpaid posts being taken for granted and expected. You often hear stories of school libraries completely taken away or staffed by volunteers and I don't think that is the way forward. For a Library service to be efficient and forward moving I think it needs a Library professional in place who knows about Library services.
I would find it extremely difficult to take part in voluntary work at this point in my life as I have a young daughter (18 months) so in order for me to work I have to pay for child care. If I wasn't getting any money in but having to pay out for this I would really struggle and it wouldn't work well! Before I had my family though and less responsibilities such as mortgage etc I would have considered voluntary work to get experience of a role before I decided that is what I wanted to do.
I was talking to a colleague today who was telling me that when her children were at primary school she helped out with the school Library as a voluntary post. I think that would be something really nice to do to help out in a school and you never know I might see if something like this is available when my little one is at school as I have no experience of a school Library.
On the negative side though I can see that people undertaking voluntary work might lead to unpaid posts being taken for granted and expected. You often hear stories of school libraries completely taken away or staffed by volunteers and I don't think that is the way forward. For a Library service to be efficient and forward moving I think it needs a Library professional in place who knows about Library services.
Wednesday 2 November 2011
Thing 21 - Promotion!
From looking at the last post I did I have to say one of the biggest tips I have learnt is to put yourself foward and believe in yourself. If you don't think you can do something you aren't going to persuade a panel that you can at an interview. I applied for a post in a Library without any library experience whatsovere. What I did have was enthusiasm and commitment. I looked at my previous job roles and what skills were transferrable to a Library. I'm glad I tried as I love working in Libraries.
Strengths and Interests
I love books. I probably read on average of one book a week, some are fiction and some aren't. I know I can't just sit in a Library reading books all day as part of my job but I think it is strength to know your stock. I read a wide range of genres and I like to keep up to date with what is top of the charts and what other people are reading. It also gives me scope to write reviews and promote books that we have in.
Another interest I have is that I seem to be an eternal student. Since leaving university I have constantly undertaken courses, training and research. Whether inhouse training and accreditations to qualifications on topics I enjoy. I love running so as part of the Great2run scheme I studied for a BTEC First in Sport! The only time I haven't taken part in a course was when I was on maternity leave but even then I was studying parenting and reading all the books on the subject I could find. I think this helps as I am up used to finding resources and this helps with enquiry work.
I love making handmade cards and scrapbook pages and this I find useful when creating displays. I must have a bit of a flair for creativity and love bright colourful displays.
Things I dislike are talking on the phone, especially to people I've never met. I prefer to communicate with people either in person or via email.
Strengths and Interests
I love books. I probably read on average of one book a week, some are fiction and some aren't. I know I can't just sit in a Library reading books all day as part of my job but I think it is strength to know your stock. I read a wide range of genres and I like to keep up to date with what is top of the charts and what other people are reading. It also gives me scope to write reviews and promote books that we have in.
Another interest I have is that I seem to be an eternal student. Since leaving university I have constantly undertaken courses, training and research. Whether inhouse training and accreditations to qualifications on topics I enjoy. I love running so as part of the Great2run scheme I studied for a BTEC First in Sport! The only time I haven't taken part in a course was when I was on maternity leave but even then I was studying parenting and reading all the books on the subject I could find. I think this helps as I am up used to finding resources and this helps with enquiry work.
I love making handmade cards and scrapbook pages and this I find useful when creating displays. I must have a bit of a flair for creativity and love bright colourful displays.
Things I dislike are talking on the phone, especially to people I've never met. I prefer to communicate with people either in person or via email.
Thing 20 - Library routes
How did I end up working in a Library? It wasn't something I particularly planned although I have always loved libraries and books. I never thought about actually working in one though, it just wasn't one of those professions that even entered my mind.
I was working in a customer service role in a job I really didn't enjoy, spent most of my time bored and didn't feel like I was getting anything out of it or was valued. A Library Assistant post was advertised at the local College where my husband worked in IT and he praised the environemtn, the people and loved his job. I loved my local public library and was always borrowing books and the more I thought about it the more working in a Library seemed like a good idea. I applied and managed to get an interview and haven't looked back since.
When I got to the interview there were about 16 candidates for 3 posts and as most people seemed to have experience of working in a Library I didn't think I stood a chance! Luckily the selection panel must have seen some potential in me as they gave me a job. I have now worked for the College for 6 years and although I am in exactly the same role, that role has adapted, changed and varied and is so different to what I was doing 6 years ago. My job title is 'Library and Learning Resource Centre Assistant' and involves far more than the book stamping and shelving that I originally thought a Libraian did.
My role now involves journals management, overseeing the day to day running of an LRC (Learning Resource Centre), subject lisaison, inductions and Library education lessons, displays as well as queries, stock selection and many other things. I love working in a College Library as it is a smaller scale to that of a university Library which gives me chance to experience lots of different areas of the Library. Ideally I would like to move forward to a more senior role, either within the College or for another organisation although at the moment I am trying to gain as much experience as possible.
After a couple of years I decided to go to night classes and complete an NVQ Level 2 in Library and Information Services. This was definitely worthwhile in terms of meeting with other Library services staff and having scope for professional discussion. I can't say that I learnt anything new on the course itself, my portfolio was more a portfolio of what I had already been doing in my job but it was great to meet new people and get a certificate that said I could do my job!
The next stage I decided on was to join CILIP as by that point I had decided that Libraries were the right career for me to be in and I wanted to know more about the wider Library community. I contacted a mentor and began to work towards my ACLIP (certification). Having a mentor was a fantastic experience as I have already commeneted on in a previos blog. Reflcetive practice was something that was new to me but it was interesting to look at where I was and what I wanted to do in the future.
Currently I have decided to take my education and career a step further and I am working towards the Post Graduate Diploma (maybe even the MA/MSc) in Library and Information Management via a distance learning course at Northumbria university. I am finding it quite a challenge due to the amount of reading and work involved but I am also enjoying it. I am looking at areas of information management that are completely new to me and hopefully this qualification will open up doors in the future.
I was working in a customer service role in a job I really didn't enjoy, spent most of my time bored and didn't feel like I was getting anything out of it or was valued. A Library Assistant post was advertised at the local College where my husband worked in IT and he praised the environemtn, the people and loved his job. I loved my local public library and was always borrowing books and the more I thought about it the more working in a Library seemed like a good idea. I applied and managed to get an interview and haven't looked back since.
When I got to the interview there were about 16 candidates for 3 posts and as most people seemed to have experience of working in a Library I didn't think I stood a chance! Luckily the selection panel must have seen some potential in me as they gave me a job. I have now worked for the College for 6 years and although I am in exactly the same role, that role has adapted, changed and varied and is so different to what I was doing 6 years ago. My job title is 'Library and Learning Resource Centre Assistant' and involves far more than the book stamping and shelving that I originally thought a Libraian did.
My role now involves journals management, overseeing the day to day running of an LRC (Learning Resource Centre), subject lisaison, inductions and Library education lessons, displays as well as queries, stock selection and many other things. I love working in a College Library as it is a smaller scale to that of a university Library which gives me chance to experience lots of different areas of the Library. Ideally I would like to move forward to a more senior role, either within the College or for another organisation although at the moment I am trying to gain as much experience as possible.
After a couple of years I decided to go to night classes and complete an NVQ Level 2 in Library and Information Services. This was definitely worthwhile in terms of meeting with other Library services staff and having scope for professional discussion. I can't say that I learnt anything new on the course itself, my portfolio was more a portfolio of what I had already been doing in my job but it was great to meet new people and get a certificate that said I could do my job!
The next stage I decided on was to join CILIP as by that point I had decided that Libraries were the right career for me to be in and I wanted to know more about the wider Library community. I contacted a mentor and began to work towards my ACLIP (certification). Having a mentor was a fantastic experience as I have already commeneted on in a previos blog. Reflcetive practice was something that was new to me but it was interesting to look at where I was and what I wanted to do in the future.
Currently I have decided to take my education and career a step further and I am working towards the Post Graduate Diploma (maybe even the MA/MSc) in Library and Information Management via a distance learning course at Northumbria university. I am finding it quite a challenge due to the amount of reading and work involved but I am also enjoying it. I am looking at areas of information management that are completely new to me and hopefully this qualification will open up doors in the future.
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